The Staves - Wisely & Slow

The Staves.  A new favorite.  I had a hard time deciding which song to include here.  Please go listen to all of them.  They are gorgeous.

Their album, Dead & Born & Grown, is only $5.99 at Amazon.  You have no excuse.

Favorite Photo of Me...

Day 17 of The Challenge.  A favorite photo of yourself and why.

I swear, I spent hours going through our pictures, trying to find one of me that I liked.  I'm pretty confident, truly, but I really don't like many pictures of myself.  We don't have very many either, especially pictures of just me.  I do think I need to set a goal for my husband to rectify that.  All that said, I managed to find two to include here:

Why do I like it?  Because look where I am!  This was taken during our trip to St. John.  This picture perfectly represents the entire trip.  Happy and relaxed and fabulous.  

Because you can barely see me in that one, I picked another.

I like this one because it makes me look like a badass.

Aaron's Favorite Granola

bad picture, I know, but better than no picture at all?

In addition to granola bars, I've finally learned how to make homemade granola.  It is so easy and good, and I think it will be a regular happening at my house from now on.  I looked through tons of online recipes before giving it a go, and I have tried quite a few batches at this point.  Aaron has eaten them all, but I finally made some that he said was better than his favorite kind from the grocery store.  I'm recording the recipe here so I have it saved somewhere.  (I should write it on a card for my recipe box, too, huh?  Okay well, blog first!)

Even more so with granola bars, the ingredients are so flexible.  If you like almonds better, go for it.  Add wheat germ.  Or sunflower seeds.  You just have to have enough of the 'wet' stuff to lightly coat the 'dry' stuff.  That's the only guideline.  Also...All amounts are -ish, of course.  Many are not measured at all.  A few shakes of cinnamon, a dump of flax...  But I did try to pay attention this time.

Lastly, this version is definitely less sweet than most store-bought granola.  If you like it sweeter, you could add 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar.  Mix it with the wet ingredients until dissolved.

Aaron's Granola

Heat oven to 375.

5 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 flax seed
1-2 cups pecans (second favorite:  walnuts)

Mix all of the above in a large bowl.

1/3 cup coconut oil
splash of vanilla
1/3 cup agave
1/3 cup honey

Add all the above to a small saucepan.  Heat over medium until oil is melted and everything is blended.

Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and pour on a large baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, stirring several times and watching to make sure it doesn't overcook.  Let cool.

Once cool, Aaron likes to add dried blueberries or dried cherries.  I like raisins best, so we leave the dried fruit for the individual.

Do you have a favorite granola recipe?

I Apologize...

Day 13 of The Challenge.  Issue an apology.

I'm sorry, Kevin, for posting this video which makes you look like you don't know how to use a camera.  I'm sorry to my sister Dawn, too, who appears in it with me, although I don't think she'll mind.

I ran across this video when searching for a picture of me.  It made me laugh, and since this blog is my happy place, I decided it belonged here.  It was taken during a 2005 trip to Prague and Budapest with my sister and brother-in-law.  Our favorite pub was a place called U Fleku in Prague, where the beer has been made by monks for the past half-century or so.  It was wonderful.  The shots we are enjoying were served warm and were very sweet.  And strong.  Happy days...

A Day in the Life...

Day 15 of The Challenge.  A Day in the Life.

I have touched on my typical days in many recent posts, including this one just last week; so I'm not going to describe the general day, I'm going to be very specific and describe today.  It was a pretty typical day, but they're all a little different, and that's a good thing.  This topic also made me remember my guest post over at Lou, Boos and Shoes.  I wrote it last year, and my gosh I think my blood pressure went up just reading it.  It's amazing how much has changed since then.  To today...

the walk home from school

The alarm went off at 4AM, because my husband had to catch an early flight this morning.  I stayed immobile, but perhaps I grunted to him on his way out the door.  Nathan ran into my room at 6 and crawled in bed with me.  I enjoyed a half-hour of snuggles before getting up.

I did 45 minutes of exercising, in my family room with workout DVDs.  Nathan watched me and only interrupted me once to ask for Buzz Lightyear.  By the time I finished, Aaron was downstairs with us.  I made coffee and breakfast.  Nathan's preschool is right across the street, so it's a pretty easy drop-off, and then Aaron and I decided to enjoy the gorgeous morning and walk to his school.  It's about a 15-minute walk, and I love this time.  I don't get a lot of one-on-one time with Aaron, and I'm stunned at how much he's grown this year.

this smell!

Once I made it back home, I enjoyed one more cup of coffee and read a little of the paper.  I then refreshed the lilacs in the vase on the dining room table.  My yard is full of big lilac bushes, so I can pick as many as I want and keep fresh flowers inside.  Awesome.

Usually during my quiet mornings, I do a little bit of cleaning around the house.  If I do a little every day, then I don't feel like I have to spend an entire day catching up.  Well, I went to a two-hour yoga class on Monday (yay me!) and ran several errands yesterday, so I felt behind.  I put a couple records on the record player (Temple of the Dog, followed by The Avett Brothers), turned it up real loud, and got to work.

i know it's not much to look at, but my neighbor is letting me use three of her garden beds this year.  

the vegetables are in and i'm excited!

Nathan came home at 11:30.  Our afternoon included pitching and hitting, swinging, watering the garden, eating lunch, reading stories, playing games, cleaning up the playroom, and a trip to Costco.  We started to walk to school to pick up Aaron, but it started to rain, so we ran back home to get the car.  Most days, we spend about an hour at the playground after school, but because of the rain, I decided I'd seize the opportunity and take the boys for haircuts.  Oh I'm so glad I did - those shaggy locks are gone!

At home, I heated up leftovers, and Aaron got ready for baseball.  I try really hard to have leftovers or something really easy for baseball nights.  After dinner, we headed to the game.  Because it was so cold and wet, Nathan actually sat with me and watched the game instead of running around like a crazy over-tired three-year-old.  It was freezing but fun.  Aaron and his team did great and had a blast.

Back home for baths and bedtime.  I go as fast as possible to get Nathan in bed, and so far I've been doing pretty well. Even though baseball makes it a later night, he was still asleep before eight.  Aaron wasn't too far behind.

my nightstand

I cleaned up the kitchen, including the dinner dishes that got left behind in the flurry to get out the door, and now I'm writing a blog post.  When I'm done, I will watch The Daily Show and fold the two loads of laundry I washed today.  Then I will eat whatever chocolate I can find in the house.  (We're out of ice cream - gasp!)  I will end the day in bed with my book, and I'll stay up too late, because I always tend to do that when Kevin's out of town.

It was a good day.

Ten Things That Make Me Really Happy

Day 14 from The Challenge.  Now this is a fun topic.  So hard to choose, and I'm sure I'll include things that I've already talked about a ton on this blog.  Sorry in advance, but it is what it is.  Let's see...

1.  The lilacs in my yard.  The smell hits me as soon as I open the door, and they are so beautiful.  My favorite part of May.

2.  Spending time with family.  And best friends.  That's really the best there is.

3.  Getting lost in a good book.

4.  Watching sunsets.  Lake Ontario is my favorite place to watch them, but really, anywhere or anytime you get an opportunity to sit still and watch the sun go down is pretty awesome.

5.  Waking up feeling rested.  (I woke up at 5:30 this morning.  Ready to go.  Weird.)

6.  Enjoying a really good meal.  With good friends.

jam session with my little man

7.  Music.  Listening, playing, singing...it's all good.  Feeds my soul.  Experiencing music live is the best.

8.  Spending time alone.  Quiet time makes me happy and enables me to handle the not-so-quiet times.

9.  Hugs from my boys.  Honestly...there's just nothing better.

10.  The beach.  Taking a walk by myself, sitting and listening to the waves, playing with the boys, eating a lobster roll.  It's hard to have a bad time at the beach.

Ten Words...

picture by Allistair Ann.  

I truly did try to find a picture of myself, but they are few and far between I'm afraid.  I think I may need to set a new goal to have people take more pictures of me!

I'm falling behind in The Challenge.  Let's see if I can catch up.  I'm going to skip a few, because I'm behind and also because the topics just don't speak to me.  (Most embarrassing moment?  Now come on, why would I share that?)

Day #11.  Sell yourself in ten words or less.

Kind.  Open-minded.  Organized.  Calm.  Motivated.  Silly.  Capable.  Savvy.  Loyal.  Thoughtful.

That was harder than I thought it would be.  Not sure I captured me.  If you know me, how did I do?  What did I leave off?

Brown Bird - The Messenger

I first heard Brown Bird at the Newport Folk Festival last year.  We sat in the sunshine, listening to the music, and Kevin and I decided that the band playing was pretty awesome.  I loved their album Salt for Salt, and I'm enjoying their latest too, entitled Fits of Reason.  Their music is chill, soulful, and very cool.

A Moment...

Day 9 of The Challenge:  A moment of your day.

I captured two, although they are close together and both with my little guy.  Every day, when Nathan comes home from preschool, he picks out books, and we read together on the couch.  It has become tradition and one of my favorite times of the day.  The photo above is of him choosing a superhero story.  

And then there's lunch.  Every day, the little man and I eat lunch at the island in our kitchen.  I ask him what he did at school that morning, and he usually tells me who got into trouble that day and then proceeds to change the subject to a topic of his choosing.  For a long while, it was superheroes.   Today he told me everything he wants for his birthday.  The photo below was taken right after he finished his lunch.  He was not on board with my taking pictures.  

Menu of the Week

photos via cooking light and real simple

Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs, Rice
Love grilling season!  I had red onion, yellow peppers, portobello, cherry tomatoes, and chicken for the kebabs.  Easy and good.

Pesto Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage, Bread
This is a great recipe.  It makes a lot, it's super simple, and everyone loves it.  I finished up the last bit of my homemade walnut-pesto and now can't wait to plant my herb barrel so I can make more.  Sooooo good.

Mustard-Maple Salmon, Rice, Roasted Asparagus
An old and popular stand-by.  Love asparagus season too!

Potato, Corn, and Leek Chowder
I knew we were going to get some cooler and rainy days this week, so I thought a soup would hit the spot.  The boys love this one.

Other meals:
Pierogies, Cinnamon Apples, and Broccoli
Pizza with friends

A Piece of Advice...

Day #8 of The Challenge:  A piece of advice you have for others.

I'm taking the easy way out and re-posting this list.  Found via Pinterest of course, and I'm not sure of the original source.   I love it, though, and think it's all pretty good advice.

Quote of the Day

via heron + hibou

Day #4 from The Challenge, which means that yes, I am going out of order and will not even come close to writing them all, but like I said...no pressure.  It's all good.  This topic was to choose a favorite quote and why I love it.  I chose two.

The reason why I love both of them is the same, though.  They make you step outside the mundane, taking the focus off of your normal routine - the tasks that must be done every day and every week - and instead ask you to really live your life.  To express gratitude.  To find passion.  Every day, even the one filled with cleaning and cooking and working and not getting enough sleep, contains beauty and joy.  The key is to find it and keep your focus on that.

What Do I Do?

From The Challenge....If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question 'What do you do'?

I sleep, I wake, I drink water to start every day.
I stretch and exercise and do yoga every chance I get.
I eat.  Mostly healthy stuff but I also end most of my days with a mug of ice cream.
I dress, brush teeth, pack lunch, prepare my boys for the day.
I walk my kids to school.
I hug, as often as they'll let me.  Which, for now, is a lot.
I drink coffee and enjoy silence.
I blog, I talk, I text...I work at keeping in touch.
I clean and tidy and shop and cook.
I plan.  For weekends, vacations, Sunday breakfasts, baseball games, camps, getting together with friends.
I play with my boys.  I watch them play with their friends.
I comfort, discipline, support, teach.  I love.
I sit in the sunshine when it's warm.  I sit by the fireplace when it's cold.
I end every day with a book.
I say thank you.

Weekend Recap

Another awesome weekend.  Actually, I'm going to back up to Thursday night, because that's when the fun really started.  In our school auction several weeks ago, I won a night out at a yoga studio.  I was able to invite a bunch of my friends to join me for a yoga class, followed by wine and refreshments.  Doesn't that sound awesome?  Well, it was!  I was a little nervous about it, because I honestly wasn't sure how many friends I could round up on a weeknight, but there ended up being nine of us, and it was perfect.  We had such a great time, talking and laughing without having to manage the kids at the same time.  Actually, we were having such a good time that I neglected to check my phone.  If I had, I might've noticed that my husband was calling and texting me, wondering why I was so late!  I guess we were having too much fun.  Kevin pointed out later that perhaps it's an indication that I don't go out enough, and I think he's right.  I can't remember the last time I went out with girlfriends.  I need to do that more.  

Saturday involved mostly yard work, prepping the garden beds for planting.  It was fun to get dirty and see progress in the yard.  (Oh!  And have I mentioned we're getting a patio?  The workers are here as I type, laying brick and getting us ready for a summer of being able to eat outside.  Yay!)  We interrupted our yard work to take the boys for ice cream and play frisbee.  That night, we watched the movie The Impossible.  Have you seen it?  It's the true story of a family that survived the tsunami in Thailand.  It will definitely keep your heart pumping, and you will cry.  Even Kevin cried.  Big happy tears.  That is a movie that will stick with me for a while.  

Sunday was a social day.  We started with having friends over to our house for our usual Sunday morning pancake breakfast.  They have three little girls, and the five of our kids had a blast playing together.  We had fun too - winners all around!  We fit in a little more yard work, and then we went over to another friend's house.  Lots of playing and talking and laughing.  An awesome end to a beautiful weekend.  

Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

Taking another cue from the Every Day In May Challenge, the topic is "What Makes You Uncomfortable?"  I didn't want to overlap with this previous post, so here are just a few things that come to mind.

1.  Being Late.  This is probably my single biggest annoyance.  I can not stand being late.  Being late to the movies is the worst, when you're trying to find a seat when the lights are already down.  Ugh.  Being late to a meeting at work is awful, especially when you're the facilitator.  I like being the first one there, even if it's not my meeting, so I can prepare myself.  I can't stand being late to anything, which leads me to...

2.  Not Knowing Where I'm Going.  This makes me uncomfortable, because if I am going somewhere I've never been before, then I don't know how long it will take me to get there, so I have the fear of being late!  This year has been full of this, as we are making new friends, starting new school activities, etc.   We've been the first person at each of Aaron's baseball practices/games so far, because I wasn't sure where the fields are, so I made sure we allowed for plenty of time to find them.

3.  Small Talk.  I wish I was better at it.  I try, and I do think I've gotten a little better; but it is still an effort, and I constantly replay conversations in my head afterwards.

4.  The Office.  Yes, I'm talking about the TV show.  Both the UK and US versions.  The show is absolutely brilliant, and I've loved it for many years, but Michael Scott had many absolutely cringe-worthy moments.  To the point where I had to fast forward the awkwardness or stop watching an episode altogether!  But the awesomeness kept pulling me back.

5.  Flying.  My discomfort starts with the ride to the airport, when I run through my list of necessities and wonder if I brought everything.  I check to see if we have the passports every two minutes.  What if there is a problem with our tickets?  What if they can't seat us together?  What if we're delayed and miss our connection?  I am amped up the entire time, not relaxing until we arrive at our destination and are checked into our hotel or safe at home.

A Few Links

by liz rusby via flickr

I stumbled across some really great stuff online this week...

Why 43% of Women With Children Leave Their Jobs, And How To Get Them Back.  I thought this was a really interesting article, and a lot of the points resonated with me.  I haven't even been out of the workforce a year, and I don't plan on staying out for too long, but the question of what I can do while still balancing my family life is one that weighs heavy on my mind.

Johnny Marr performing The Smiths' "How Soon is Now?" on Jimmy Fallon.  Just for fun, because I am and always will be a fan of The Smiths.

Enjoy a flight over Africa while Listening to the music from Out of Africa.  Very random, but it's so pretty.  Even if all you do is play the music.

What Nobody Remembers About New Motherhood.  Do any of you feel this way?  I know so many people say that we forget the hard parts, so perhaps it's still too recent for me.  I can recall very vividly the pain of childbirth, and the exhaustion I felt those first few months.  I remember very well how hard some of those weeks were when I was low on sleep, dealing with a sick baby, and still having to go to work.  I also remember how my babies smelled (is there any smell in the world better than a clean baby?), how sweet those 2AM nursing sessions were, and how it felt when they squeezed my fingers with their chubby little hands.  And of course I know how amazing they are now.  But when a new mom tells me how exhausted she is, I absolutely understand and remember it all.

I am in total agreement with Joanna Goddard on this one.  And if you haven't watched New Girl yet, you should.

Indian Man Single-Handedly Plants a 1360-acre Forest.  This is just awesome, and it got me thinking about what my legacy will be.  A heavy topic for another day...

Life Lessons with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  Yes, sort of random too, but don't dismiss it just because it's written by a former basketball player.  It's a really great list!

Whoah!  Did I just publish three posts in a single day?  Crazy.  

Menu of the Week

photos via Dinner: A Love Story and Cooking Light

Burgers, Oven Fries, Caprese Salad
Last weekend was sunny and beautiful, and it inspired us to break out the grill.  Let grilling season begin!  It's early for tomatoes, of course, but caprese salad is Aaron's favorite thing in the world, so I got a package of cherry tomatoes and the little mozzarella balls.  Awesome.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Quesadillas, Guacamole, Tortilla Chips
Quesadillas are always a favorite.  Grilling the chicken made them a little different and cool.  I left the chicken out of mine and the little guy's, adding some additional veggies.  

Chicken Curry with Apples, Rice
I adore curry.  It might be my favorite meal of all time.  I could eat green curry every single night.  So I'm disappointed that my boys don't love it too.  I try every once in a while to see if things have changed yet.  I tried this new recipe, which adds apples to lend a little extra sweetness, and of course I kept the curry seasoning light in order to appeal to the kids.  I also added carrots, because I felt it needed more veggies.  Results were great for me!  The kids...okay.  Aaron ate the chicken and rice and picked around most of the veggies (he did not like the apples or carrots).  Nathan did pretty well with the rice and veggies (picking out the chicken - my opposite kiddos!), but couldn't finish because he said it was too spicy.  Not bad overall, though.  We shall persevere!

Lemon-Pepper Shrimp Scampi, Spaghetti, Sauteed Zucchini
An old standard.  Takes about ten minutes to prepare, so it's awesome for a busy weeknight.  Nathan opted for spaghetti sauce, but they both ate everything.  

Other nights:  homemade pizza and leftovers!

Houndmouth - Houston Train

I'm using the Newport Folk Festival lineup as inspiration to check out some new bands.  This is one that's new to me - Houndmouth.  They only have an EP out so far - their first full-length album, entitled 

From The Hills Below The City, is due out in June.  I'm looking forward to giving it a spin!

The Story of My Life

Simone at The Bottom of the Ironing Basket informed me of a blogging challenge she has accepted, started by Jenni at The Story of My Life.  She created a blog topic for every day in May and invited others to participate.  I love the idea, especially since blogging inspiration doesn't always strike every day.  Having a little push and a topic idea is nice.  I'm positive I won't be able to do it every day, but I have decided to jump in when I can.  Maybe it'll just extend a while, or maybe I will have to skip a few topics.  We'll see.  No pressure.

The first topic is:  The Story of Your Life in 250 words or less.  Here goes...

One of my all-time favorite pictures of me and my little sister.  Dirty and carefree.

I was born in New York in the Spring of 1974.  We lived in the country, owning goats and chickens and enjoying fruit trees and fresh milk from the farm down the road.  My first chore was to collect eggs from the chicken coop.  I loved it.  My parents divorced when I was five, and I moved with my mom and sisters to North Carolina when I was eight.  I spent a lot of time reading books and too much of my teenage years trying to be liked.  In college, I spent a lot of time by myself in order to figure out all the things I really loved - poetry, music, sports, nature.  I loved growing up near the beach, and I adored my university, and I was grateful for my first job and the many friends I made and still have.  But North Carolina never really felt like home to me.  I moved to Boston in 1999.  This is home.  I have a handsome and funny husband and two amazing little boys.  I worked hard for sixteen years and am now taking a break from the office to walk my kids to school.  I am entering a new phase of life, and I am loving it.  I'm making new friends, watching my kids grow, and still trying to learn new things.  I'm practicing on my new piano, reading, cooking, doing yoga, planting a garden, and taking care of our little old house.  Life is beautiful.

Weekend Recap

Neighborhood farm at the start of the parade route

What a fun and happy weekend.  The weather was picture-perfect from start to finish, and we enjoyed every moment outside.  We kicked it off on Friday with pizza and brownies to celebrate Kevin's birthday.  He's now 38, which makes me feel a little better.  That month between our birthdays where he is two years younger irritates me just a bit.  

On Saturday morning, Aaron put on his new baseball uniform and walked in a parade with the rest of the town little league teams.  They walk right in our neighborhood and end at the fields next to our house, so it was very convenient.  It was also ridiculously cute, these little guys (and yes a few girls!) in matching outfits.  Tonight is their first game.  

Aaron attended a birthday party, and Nathan and I played at home while Kevin got started on the yard work.  That night, Kevin slept on the couch while I watched 'Lincoln'.  I knew that it was a long movie, so I expected it to feel rather slow in parts, but I was engaged the entire time and thought it went by very quickly.  The acting was tremendous, as expected, and I really enjoyed it.  

We went to the Red Sox game on Sunday, and the difference between last year and this year was striking.  The boys were much more interested in what was going on in the game, especially Aaron.  Nathan was still mostly interested in pizza and ice cream, but he had fun seeing Wally and did not complain.  Aaron asked lots of good questions, and we talked about the players, positions, and the rules during the game.  He was actually upset when we decided to leave before the last inning in order to beat the crowds.  Very cool and very fun.  

Ahhh....the fun part of Spring has arrived, and I am excited!